JP3881299B2 - Transceiver - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a transceiver used for data communication between wearable computers, for example. More specifically, the present invention relates to information via the electric field transmission medium by inducing an electric field based on information to be transmitted in the electric field transmission medium. It is related with the transceiver which can transmit / receive.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, attention has been focused on a new concept computer that can be worn and operated on a human body like clothing. This computer is called a wearable computer and can be realized by miniaturization and high performance of the portable terminal.
[0003]
In addition, research on a technique for performing data communication between a plurality of wearable computers via a human body (living body) such as a human arm, shoulder, and torso has progressed, and this technique has already been proposed in patent documents (for example, , See Patent Document 1). FIG. 5 shows an image diagram when communication between a plurality of wearable computers is performed via such a human body. As shown in the figure, the wearable computer 1 constitutes a set with a transceiver 3 ′ in contact with the wearable computer 1, and the human body is different from the other wearable computer 1 and transceiver 3 ′. Data communication can be performed via the. The wearable computer 1 is installed on a PC (personal computer) 5 other than the wearable computer 1 attached to a human body and a transceiver 3'a installed on a wall, or on the PC 5 and a floor. Data communication with the set of transceivers 3'b is also possible. However, the PC 5 in this case is not in contact with each other like the wearable computer 1 and the transceiver 3 ′, and is connected to the transceivers 3 ′ a and 3 ′ b via the cable 4.
[0004]
For data communication through the human body, signal detection technology based on electro-optic techniques using laser light and electro-optic crystals is used to generate an electric field based on information (data) to be transmitted. Information is transmitted and received by receiving information based on the electric field induced in the human body. The technique of data communication via the human body will be described in more detail with reference to FIG.
[0005]
FIG. 6 is an overall configuration diagram of a transceiver 3 ′ used for performing data communication via a human body (living body 100). As shown in FIG. 6, the transceiver 3 ′ is used in a state in which the transmission electrode 105 and the reception electrode 111 are in contact with the living body 100 through the insulating films 107 and 109, respectively. The transceiver 3 ′ receives the data supplied from the wearable computer 1 via the I / O (input / output) circuit 101 and transmits it to the transmission unit 103. In the transmission unit 103, an electric field is induced in the living body 100 that is an electric field transmission medium from the transmitting electrode 105 through the insulating film 107, and this electric field is transmitted to another part of the living body 100 through the living body 100. 3 'is transmitted.
[0006]
In addition, the transceiver 3 ′ receives the electric field induced and transmitted to the living body 100 from another transceiver 3 ′ attached to another part of the living body 100 by the receiving electrode 111 via the insulating film 109. The received electric field is coupled (applied) to the electro-optic crystal by the electric field detection optical unit 110 and converted into an electric signal, and then transmitted to the signal processing circuit 115. In the electric field detection optical unit 110, an electric field is detected and converted into an electric signal by an electro-optic technique using laser light and an electro-optic crystal.
[0007]
The signal processing circuit 115 performs signal processing such as amplification and noise removal of the electric signal transmitted from the electric field detection optical unit 110 and then transmits the signal to the waveform shaping circuit 117. The waveform shaping circuit 117 performs waveform shaping (signal processing) on the transmitted electrical signal and supplies it to the wearable computer 1 via the input / output circuit 101.
[0008]
For example, as shown in FIG. 5, the wearable computer 1 attached to the right arm causes the transceiver 3 'to induce an electrical signal related to transmission data as an electric field in the living body 100, which is an electric field transmission medium. Communicate to 100 other sites. On the other hand, in the wearable computer 1 attached to the left arm, the electric field transmitted from the living body 100 can be returned to an electrical signal by the transceiver 3 ′ and then received as received data.
[0009]
[Patent Document 1]
JP 2001-352298 A (page 4-5, FIG. 1-5)
[0010]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if the output voltage of the transmission unit 103 is increased in order to increase the intensity of the electric field induced in the living body 100, the living body 100 is at increased risk due to the high voltage. Further, in order to efficiently induce an electric field in the living body 100, it is not sufficient to simply increase the output voltage of the transmission unit 103, and it is necessary to increase the driving force.
[0011]
The present invention has been made in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object thereof is to induce information in an electric field transmission medium such as a living body safely and efficiently to transmit information.
[0012]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the invention according to claim 1 is capable of transmitting information through the electric field transmission medium by inducing an electric field based on information to be transmitted from the transmission electrode to the electric field transmission medium. A transceiver comprising: level converting means for converting a level of a data signal related to the information to be transmitted; and an electric field based on the information to be transmitted using the data signal level-converted by the level converting means. A transceiver comprising: a plurality of induced signal supply means for generating an induced signal for inducing the electric field transmission medium and supplying the induced signal to the transmitting electrode.
[0013]
The invention according to claim 2 is the transceiver according to claim 1, and further, the plurality of induced signal supply means in order to make all phases of the induced signals supplied by the plurality of induced signal supply means coincide with each other. A transceiver having phase adjusting means for adjusting the phase of a data signal used by a part or all of the data signal.
[0014]
The invention according to claim 3 is characterized in that a plurality of the transmission electrodes exist in an electrically isolated state corresponding to each of the plurality of induced signal supply means. The described transceiver.
[0015]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The transceiver according to the embodiment of the present invention induces an electric field based on information to be transmitted in the electric field transmission medium (biological body 100 or the like), and receives information based on the electric field induced in the electric field transmission medium. Thus, the transceiver is capable of transmitting and receiving information through the electric field transmission medium. Hereinafter, the transceivers 31 _to 3 according _to the first to third embodiments will be described.
[0016]
[First Embodiment]
Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of a transceiver 31 according to the _first embodiment. In addition, although the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the same function and structure as the past, it demonstrates anew here.
[0017]
As shown in FIG. 1, the transceiver _{3 1,} I / O (input-output) circuit 101, transmission electrodes 105, the insulating film 107 and 109, the receiving electrodes 111, an electric field detection optical section 110, the signal processing circuit 115, and the waveform shaping The circuit 117 is the same as the conventional transceiver 3 ′. Transceiver 3 ₁ of this embodiment is different in that a transmission unit 10 in place of a conventional transmitter 103.
[0018]
Among, I / O circuit 101 is a circuit for inputting and outputting data signals transceiver 3 ₁ of the information with an external device such as a wearable computer 1. The transmission unit 10 is configured by a circuit that induces an electric field related to this information in the living body based on a data signal related to the information output from the I / O circuit 101, and details thereof will be described later. The transmission electrode 105 is an electrode used for inducing an electric field with respect to the living body 100 by the transmission unit 10, and is used as a transmission antenna. The insulating film 107 is an insulating film disposed between the transmission electrode 105 and the living body 100 and plays a role of preventing the transmitting electrode 105 from directly contacting the living body 100.
[0019]
The receiving electrode 111 is used to receive an electric field induced and transmitted to the living body 100 from the wearable computer 1, the transceiver 3, the PC 5, and the transceivers 3a and 3b attached to other parts of the living body 100. It is an electrode and is used as a receiving antenna. The insulating film 109 is an insulating film disposed between the receiving electrode 111 and the living body 100, similarly to the insulating film 107.
[0020]
Furthermore, the electric field detection optical unit 110 has a function of detecting an electric field received by the reception electrode 111 and converting the electric field into an electric signal as reception information. The signal processing circuit 115 is a circuit that performs signal processing such as amplification and noise removal of an electric signal (analog voltage signal) transmitted from the electric field detection optical unit 110. The waveform shaping circuit 117 is a circuit for performing waveform shaping (signal processing) of the analog voltage signal transmitted from the signal processing circuit 115 and converting the analog voltage signal into a digital signal. The data can be output to the wearable computer 1 via the O circuit 101.
[0021]
Next, the transmission unit 10 will be described in detail.
[0022]
As shown in FIG. 1, the transmission unit 10 includes a level conversion circuit 11, and a first driver circuit 13a and a second driver circuit 13b that can branch and input a signal from the level conversion circuit 11. Yes. The two driver circuits 13 a and 13 b are connected in parallel to the transmission electrode 105.
[0023]
Among these, the level conversion circuit 11 converts the level of the data signal (s) when the data signal (s) related to the information to be transmitted sent from the wearable computer 1 via the I / O circuit 101 is input. Circuit. Further, the level conversion circuit 11 is a circuit that changes the amplitude of the signal and further changes the DC offset if it is described from the viewpoint of the analog signal, and that that is a circuit that changes the Hi level and the Low level of the signal when it is described from the viewpoint of the digital signal. is there.
[0024]
Further, the first driver 13 a uses the data signal (s ′) level-converted by the level conversion circuit 11 to induce an electric field based on the information to be transmitted to the living body 100 (S). Is generated and supplied to the transmission electrode 105. The second driver circuit 13b has the same configuration as the first driver circuit 13a.
[0025]
Next, a description will be given of the transmission operation of the transceiver 3 ₁ of this embodiment.
[0026]
First, the transceiver 3 ₁ receives a data signal (s) according to the information to be transmitted that has been transmitted from the wearable computer 1 via the I / O circuit 101, is input to the level conversion circuit 11. As a result, the level conversion circuit 11 converts the level of the data signal (s) to a predetermined level. Then, the level-converted data signal (s ′) is branched into two data signals (s′1, s′2) and input to the first driver circuit 13a and the second driver circuit 13b, respectively. Thereby, the first driver circuit 13 a generates an induced signal (S 1) for inducing an electric field in the living body 100 and supplies it to the transmission electrode 105. Similarly, the second driver circuit 13 b also generates an induction signal (S 2) and transmits it to the transmission electrode 105. As a result, an electric field by the two driver circuits 13a and 13b is induced from the transmission electrode 105.
[0027]
As described above, according to the present embodiment, two driver circuits 13a and 13b are connected in parallel to the transmission electrode 105 to increase the driving force, thereby suppressing the output voltage of each driver circuit 13a and 13b. However, since the induced electric field on the living body 100 can be increased, the electric field can be induced in the living body 100 safely and efficiently.
[0028]
In the present embodiment, the case of two driver circuits has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the transmission unit 10 may be provided with three or more driver circuits in parallel.
[0029]
[Second Embodiment]
The second embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 shows the phase of the induced signal output from each of the driver circuits 13a and 13b due to manufacturing variations in the first driver circuit 13a and the second driver circuit 13b in FIG. 1 according to the first embodiment. It is the figure which showed the different state. Further, FIG. 3 is an overall configuration diagram of a transceiver 3 ₂ according to the second embodiment. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the structure or function same as the said 1st Embodiment, and the description is abbreviate | omitted.
[0030]
2A shows the waveform of the induced signal (S1) output from the first driver circuit 13a to the transmission electrode 105, and FIG. 2B shows the waveform of the induction signal 105 from the second driver circuit 13b. 2 shows the waveform of the induced signal (S2) output in FIG. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, when the phases of both (S1, S2) are shifted due to manufacturing variations, one driver circuit and the other driver circuit are short-circuited. Since an abnormal current flows through each driver circuit, even if two driver circuits 13a and 13b are used, an unstable portion as shown in FIG. 2C (dotted line portion in FIG. 2C) Induced signal (S) having the above is output to the transmitting electrode 105.
[0031]
Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3, before the data signal (s′1) branched after the level conversion is input to the first driver circuit 13a to the transmission unit 20 as a modification of the transmission unit 10. A first phase adjustment circuit 21a for phase adjustment and a second phase adjustment circuit 21b for phase adjustment before the data signal (s′2) branched after level conversion is input to the second driver circuit 13b are provided.
[0032]
As a result, in the present embodiment, even if the first and second driver circuits 13a and 13b have a phase shift due to manufacturing variations, the first and second phase adjustment circuits 21a and 21b perform the data signal (s ′ By adjusting so that the phases of (1, s'2) are matched (matched), it is possible to prevent an abnormal current from flowing through the first and second driver circuits 13a, 13b.
[0033]
One of the first phase adjustment circuit 21 a and the second phase adjustment circuit 21 b may not be provided in the transmission unit 20.
[0034]
Also in the present embodiment, the transmission unit 20 may be provided with three or more driver circuits. In this case, the same number of phase adjustment circuits as the number of driver circuits may be provided corresponding to each driver circuit, or the number of phase adjustment circuits obtained by subtracting 1 from the number of driver circuits may be provided.
[0035]
[Third Embodiment]
Hereinafter, the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. Figure 4 is an overall configuration diagram of a transceiver 3 ₃ according to the third embodiment. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the structure or function same as the said 1st Embodiment, and the description is abbreviate | omitted.
[0036]
This embodiment, like the second embodiment, is an invention that solves the problem (the abnormal current flows in the driver circuit) in the first embodiment.
[0037]
As shown in FIG. 4, the transceiver 3 ₃ of the present embodiment is in that it has a transmission portion 10 is the same as the first embodiment, a point obtained by dividing the transmitting electrode 105 and the insulating film 107 into two Different.
[0038]
That is, the transceiver 3 ₃ of the present embodiment, the first transmitting electrodes 15a corresponding to the first driver circuit 13a is provided, it is provided with a second transmission electrode 15b corresponding to the second driver circuit 13b. The transmission electrodes 15a and 15b are electrically isolated from each other and are connected to the first and second driver circuits 13a and 13b, respectively. Further, first and second insulating films are provided in accordance with this. However, the insulating film may not be divided into two.
[0039]
As a result, in this embodiment, even if the induced signals (S1, S2) are out of phase due to manufacturing variations of the driver circuit, one driver circuit and the other driver circuit are short-circuited. Since the situation does not occur, there is an effect that it is possible to prevent an abnormal current from flowing through the first and second driver circuits 13a and 13b.
[0040]
In this embodiment, the case where there are two transmission electrodes has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and if there are three or more driver circuits, three or more driver circuits may be provided in accordance with the number.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, there are provided a plurality of induced signal supply means for supplying an induction signal for inducing an electric field based on information to be transmitted to the electric field transmission medium to the transmission electrode. As a result, it is possible to increase the induced electric field to the electric field transmission medium such as a living body while suppressing the output voltage of each induced signal supply means, so that the electric field can be induced in the electric field transmission medium safely and efficiently. There is an effect.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. _{1 is} an overall configuration diagram of a transceiver 31 according to a _first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2A is a diagram showing a waveform of an induced signal (S1) output from the first driver circuit 13a to the transmission electrode 105. FIG.
FIG. 2B shows a waveform of the induced signal (S2) output from the second driver circuit 13b to the transmission electrode 105.
FIG. 2C is a diagram showing a waveform of an induced signal that is eventually output to the transmission electrode 105 by the first and second driver circuits 13a and 13b.
FIG. 3 is an overall configuration diagram of a transceiver 32 according to a _second embodiment of the present invention.
Overall configuration diagram of a transceiver 3 ₃ according to a third embodiment of the present invention; FIG.
FIG. 5 is an image diagram when communication between a plurality of wearable computers is performed via a human body (living body 100).
FIG. 6 is an overall configuration diagram of a conventional transceiver 3 ′ used for performing data communication via a human body (living body 100).
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Wearable computer 3 ₁ Transceiver 3 (according to 1st embodiment) Transceiver 3 ₂ (according to 2nd embodiment) Transceiver 3 ₃ (According to 3rd embodiment) Transceiver 3 'Conventional transceiver 10 Transmitter 11 Level conversion Circuit [an example of level conversion means]
13a First driver circuit [an example of induced signal supply means]
13b Second driver circuit [an example of induced signal supply means]
15a 1st transmission electrode 15b 2nd transmission electrode 17a 1st insulating film 17b 2nd insulating film 20 Transmitting part 21a 1st phase adjustment circuit [an example of a phase adjustment means]
21b Second phase adjustment circuit [an example of phase adjustment means]
100 Living body [an example of an electric field transmission medium]
101 I / O circuit 110 Electric field detection optical unit 115 Signal processing circuit 117 Waveform shaping circuit 109 Insulating film 111 Reception electrode 140 Polarization detection optical system [an example of polarization detection optical means]

Claims (3)

A transceiver capable of transmitting information through the electric field transmission medium by inducing an electric field based on information to be transmitted from the transmission electrode to the electric field transmission medium,
Using the level conversion means for converting the level of the data signal related to the information to be transmitted and the data signal level-converted by the level conversion means, an electric field based on the information to be transmitted is applied to the electric field transmission medium A plurality of induced signal supply means for generating an induced signal for inducing and supplying the induced signal to the transmitting electrode;
A transceiver characterized by comprising: The transceiver of claim 1, further comprising:
A phase adjusting means for adjusting a phase of a data signal used by a part or all of the plurality of induced signal supply means in order to make all phases of the induced signals supplied by the plurality of induced signal supply means coincide with each other; A transceiver comprising: 2. The transceiver according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of the transmission electrodes are present in an electrically isolated state corresponding to each of the plurality of induced signal supply units.

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